Roztoky Czechia
Czech Rep

9 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

CroisiEurope (9 Cruises)

Roztoky, Czech Republic | Cruise Port Guide

Barely have the towers of Prague disappeared behind the bends than the Vltava changes character. The wooded cliffs close in, herons replace streetcars, and Roztoky appears on the left bank: a small, leafy town on the outskirts of Prague, a peaceful stop for boats sailing down the river toward the Elbe. The port call plays the Bohemian countryside card, a quarter of an hour from the capital.

A castle by the water

Near the riverbank stands a small castle, a former moated fortress turned Renaissance residence and remodelled over the centuries. Today it houses the Central Bohemian Museum, whose collections evoke the life of the region and the evolution of the building itself, from the Gothic chapel to the middle-class salons. The floor devoted to the painter Zdenka Braunerová recreates her studio: this figure of Czech artistic life at the turn of the 20th century made Roztoky her refuge, hosting writers and artists from Prague and Paris. The park surrounding the walls then invites a break beneath the trees, where temporary exhibitions and village festivals liven up the warm season. The caretakers like to recall that the 2002 flood nearly swept everything away: the restoration carried out since has given the site back its former look, and today's visitors reap the benefits.

Levý Hradec, the Christian cradle of Bohemia

On the plateau overlooking the town, the site of Levý Hradec holds a special place in national history: this former hillfort of the Přemyslids, the first Czech dynasty, saw the first Christian church in Bohemia rise in the 9th century, founded by Prince Bořivoj. St. Clement's Church, since rebuilt, still occupies the sacred site, surrounded by the remains of ramparts. The site has to be earned by a climb of about twenty minutes, rewarded with a sweeping view of the Vltava valley — one of the finest viewpoints of the port call. An interpretive trail describes the archaeological excavations that uncovered the foundations of the original sanctuary, a centrepiece of the Czech national story.

The Silent Valley

The town gives access to a group of nature reserves with a promising name: Tiché údolí, the "Silent Valley," extended by the valley of the Únětice stream. Easy trails, flowering meadows, rocky outcrops and cool woodland make up a walk that Praguers treat themselves to on Sundays. At the end of the path, the village of Únětice is home to a craft brewery whose tradition goes back several centuries; its unfiltered beer, served in a friendly courtyard, ends the walk in the most pleasant of ways.

Ideas for a few hours in port

  • Castle and museum: within walking distance of the landing, a visit of one to one and a half hours.
  • Levý Hradec: climb on foot or take a short shuttle; wear good shoes.
  • Silent Valley and Únětice brewery: a half day in nature, round trip on foot.
  • Along the Vltava: a flat riverside path, ideal for walking or cycling toward Prague or northward.

Setting off with the current

Roztoky has neither a Charles Bridge nor an astronomical clock, and doesn't try to. It offers what capitals can no longer give: the song of the river, a hill where Christian Bohemia was born, a glass of beer brewed in the neighbouring village. Passengers returning on board take away another image of the country — more intimate, greener — and the certainty that the Vltava saves its sweetest secrets for downstream.

Frequently Asked Questions

On the left bank of the Vltava, a quarter of an hour downstream from Prague. The capital's spires have barely vanished behind the bends before the wooded cliffs close in and this small green town appears. The chateau and its museum are within walking distance of the landing.
The chateau and its museum take an hour to an hour and a half. Add the climb to Levý Hradec, about twenty minutes, or the Silent Valley walk to the Úětice brewery for a half day in nature. The flat riverside path can be walked or cycled towards Prague or northwards.
The Central Bohemian Museum, housed in a former water-ringed fortress that became a Renaissance residence. The collections cover regional life and the building's own evolution, from Gothic chapel to bourgeois salons. One floor recreates the studio of the painter Zdenka Braunerová.
A leading figure in Czech artistic life at the turn of the 20th century, who made Roztoky her refuge and received writers and artists from Prague and Paris there. Her studio is recreated at the chateau, and it is the part of the museum that moves visitors most.
The Christian cradle of Bohemia. This former oppidum of the Přemyslids, the first Czech dynasty, saw the country's first Christian church rise in the 9th century, founded by Prince Bořivoj. St Clement's church, since rebuilt, still occupies the sacred spot, ringed by rampart remains.
About twenty minutes uphill from town, onto the plateau above it. Bring decent shoes. The reward is a wide view over the Vltava valley, the finest viewpoint of the call, and an interpretation trail describing the excavations that uncovered the foundations of the original sanctuary.
Tiché údolí, a group of nature reserves extended by the Úětice brook valley. Easy trails, flowering meadows, rocky outcrops and cool woodland make up a walk Praguers give themselves on Sundays. At the end of the path, the village of Úětice has a craft brewery whose tradition goes back centuries.
The Czech koruna. Cards work at the museum and in cafés; keep some korunas for the Úětice brewery, whose unfiltered beer is served in a friendly courtyard, and for the village festivals in the warm months.
Czech. This is a Prague-fringe municipality, not a tourist stop: English works at the museum and among younger people, far less in the village. French is not spoken.
Yes, provided you accept that it has neither Charles Bridge nor an astronomical clock — and it does not try to. It offers what capitals no longer can: the sound of the river, a hill where Christian Bohemia began, and a glass of beer brewed in the next village.